Contact ring for circular knitting machines



Feb. 25, 1964 E. HANEL ET-AL 3,122,008 I CONTACT RING FOR CIRCULARKNITTING MACHINES Filed July 12, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l HEI NZ KOHLERWERNER. MAYER.

Feb. 25, 1964 HANEL ETAL CONTACT RING FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINESFiled July 12, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS EWALD HANEL HEINZKOHLER. WERNER.- MAYER r A ORNE 5 Feb. 25, 1964 E. HANEL ETAL 3,122,008

CONTACT RING FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 12, 1960 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS EWALD HANEL HEINZ KOH LER WERN ER. MAYER UnitedStates Patent 3,122,098 CONTAQT a non cracumn KNITTING Macrnnns Ewaldnew, Heinz Kiihler, and Werner Mayer, Ingolstadt, Germany, assignors toSchubert 8; Salzer Masehinentabrlk Aktiengeselischaft, lngolstadt,Germany, a corporation oi Germany Filed July 12, 19nd, Ser. No. 42,355iah..s priority, application Germany July 17, 1959 12 Claims. (Cl.66-42) The present invention relates to a contact ring arrangement foruse in a circular knitting machine and more particularly to a camcontact ring for the operational control of the individual knittingsystems of a multiple system circular knitting machine for specificchronological operational sequence.

Heretofore, contact rings have been provided for the simultaneousoperational switching in and switching out of the locks or actuatingcams for the various needle butts, sinker butts, and the like, ofindividual knitting systems of circular knitting machines. Such contactrings are particularly useful in connection with fine-rib or hosieryknitting machines. The lock parts or actuating cam elements which inevery system have the same function, are coupled with one another bymeans of a mutual common contact ring and activated by rotationalmovement of the contact ring in consequence of a control chain orcontrol drum arrangement. In this way, similar cam elements may beactivated at the particular individual operating positions desiredsimultaneously in consequence of a single control cam arrangement.

With respect to a fine-rib or hosiery knitting machine, if severaloperating cam grooves or paths are provided for the sinker cams of therib dial or the needle cams of the cylinder, then correspondingly acontact ring is positioned in each case for use with each cam groove orpath. The several contact rings may be positioned next to one anotherbut in each case the contact ring is individually activated according tothe usual techniques for operating the respective knitting systems.

Nevertheless, in circular knitting machines of small diameter,particularly in automatic circular knitting machines for the productionof socks and fine hose, the use of contact rings was hitherto notcustomary. Such contact rings were of no particular advantage withrespect to these machines especially since these machines were normallyonly constructed with one or two knitting systems. In working with morethan two knitting systems, dilficulty always. arises with respect toaccommodating the control elements necessary for each individual system.Moreover, operations normally repeated during the production of eachstocking, for example, which require an operational insertion of the camelements and thread guides of the individual systems in specificchronological sequence, could not be accommodated under existingconstructions.

Thus, for instance, the starting rows or courses at the double welt oredge portion of an article of fine hose being knitted are customarilyfirst worked with one knitting system and thereafter with one or moreadditional systems which are later switched into operation, Thenecessarily large number of linkage rods and control elements not onlycauses difiiculties with respect to accommodating these parts in termsof confined space, but also impairs the accessibility for servicing andsupervising of the knitting machine itself.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoingdisadvantages and to provide a contact ring arrangement for use in acircular knitting machine whereby the operation of the individualknitting systems may be carried out effectively using a simpleconstructional arrangement of parts.

Other and further objects of the invention will become See apparent froma study of the within specification and accompanying drawings, in whichFIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a contact ring for a thread guide inaccordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 shows a partial schematic view of a lift curve disposed on aswitch drum for effecting rotational movement of a contact ring inaccordance with the embodiment of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the contact ring arrangement shown inFIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic flat projection of the contact ring inaccordance with the embodiment of FIGURE 1, showing staggered individualswitching phases for operating four individual knitting systems,

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a further embodiment of a contact ringarrangement in accordance with the invention for use with cam slides.

FIGURE 6 is a schematic partial view of a lift curve arrangementdisposed on a drum similar to that of FIG- URE 2, the arrangement inthis case being used with the contact ring arrangement of FIGURE 5,

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the contact ring arrangement of FIGURE5,

FIGURE 8 is a schematic partial view in section of a circular knittingmachine illustrating the operational relation of the various elements inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention,

FIGS. and 8b are enlarged views of a thread guide arrangement similar tothat of FIG. 8 iliustrating more clearly the relationship between theguides and ring, FlG. Sagenerally corresponding to the upper leftportion of FIG. 8 and FIG. 8b generally corresponding to the upper rightportion of FIG. 8, and

FIGURES 9a, 9b and respectively cover in perspective, plan andperspective view control ring arrangements for thread guides of amultiple system, circular knitting machine in accordance with theinvention.

It has been found in accordance with the present invention that theswitching of actuating cam elements or thread guides in circularknitting machines having several individual systems may be suitablyefected by providing on the contact rings therefor severalphase-staggered cam guiding surfaces corresponding to the number ofindividual knitting systems. Upon the rotational movement of the contactring, the individual contact or control phases take place in specificchronological intervals in consequence of conventional control means,such as lifting cams or lift curves defined on drum surfaces, chain-studarrangemeuts, and the like. In this way only one control ring or controlelement with corresponding motion transfer devices need be used foroperating several individual 'knitting systems even where severaldifferent operations are required to succeed one another in the varioussystems. An effective simplification in construction is provided inaccordance with the invention as well as an advantageously easilyvisible arrangement of machine parts.

Thus, a contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machineto control the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systemsof the machine is obtained in accordance with the instant inventionwhich includes a contact ring mounted for limited rotational movementwhich contains a plurality of phase-staggered cam guiding surfacesdefined thereon corresponding to the plurality of individual knittingsystems of the knitting machine. Also a plurality of cam means mountedfor guiding cam engag ment with the cam surfaces of the contact ringduring its limited rotational movement is employed, these cam meansbeing adapted to control the operation of the individual knittingsystems in response to such guiding cam engagement. The contact ringarrangement is suitably provided with rotational control means foreffecting periodic phase-staggered rotational movement of the contactring as by a lift-curve arrangement on a drum.

Referring to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 a contact ring or control ring 1is shown having switch cam guiding surfaces 31 defined thereon inphase-staggered relation corresponding to systems I to 1V. Thread guides2 assigned to each of the individual knitting systems are pivotailymounted on the stationary thread guide ring (see ring 25, FIG. 8).Thread guides 2 are arranged along contact ring 1 for guiding camengagement with the cam surfaces 11 corresponding thereto and for c?outing limited pivotal movement in connection therev Contact ring 1executes limited rotational movement in consequence of the control arm 3connected thereto whicn traces a path along the lift-curve or liftingcam surface 4 disposed on the switch drum 5 (FIGURE 2?.

pon rotation of the switch drum 5, the lift-curve 4 is scanned by theswitch rod 3 which translates the switching phases S S S S and S whichcorrespond to the steps or stages 3 S S S and S of the liftcurve 4, tothe contact ring I in the direction of arrow P.

It is evident from FIGURE 4 that the thread guides 2 in the individualknittin. systems are placed in operation one after the other inconsequence of the corresponding switching phases S. For example, at theswitching phase S the thread guides of sy ems I and it are placed inoperation while the thread guide of system H1 is only switched intooperation at the switching step or phase S The step increments of thelift-curve 4 in FIG- URE 2 correspond to the switching phases S of thecontact ring 1 in FIGURE 4. Of course, the sequence of the individualsystems for effecting the switching of the particular parts may takeplace in any sequence arrangement as desired. l D

Thus, for instance, with the COII'BSPOIILIIHg POSIUOH- ing of theswitching cam guiding surfaces ll, there may also be placed in operationfirst the thread guide 2 of system IV, thereupon at switch phase S thatof system I and at switch phase S the threads guides of systems Ill andI I.

The duration of the individual switching phases S (see FIGURE 4) isdetermined by the length t of the lift-curve step S (see FIGURE 2). Inthis way it is possible, for instance, to allow the thread guide forsystem I to operate alone during one rotation of the cylinder, andthereafter to synchronize the thread guide of system ll therewith, andonly after further rows or courses have been completed to place thethread guides of systems III and IV in operation.

The same principle applies cam switches or cam slides 6 correspondinglyarranged at the staggered cam guiding surfaces 11 of the contact ringembodiment shown in FIGURE 5. The rod 3' effects limited rotationalmovement of the contact ring 1 in this embodiment as the lift-curve 6'is traveled by rod 3. The cam slides 5 are switched into and out ofoperation by means of the staggered cam surfaces 11 in the same way asdescribed above synchronously with and in the same switching phases asthe thread guides. Thus, FIGURE 6 generally corresponds in operationwith respect to the contact ring arrangement of FlGURE 5 in the same wayas in FZGURES l and 2. FIGURE 7 is a perspective view illustrating thearrangement of the cam switches or cam slides 6 with respect to the camguiding surfaces 13. The function of the contact ring in accordance withthis embodiment is similar to that of FIGURE 1, the difference beingthat the cam slides 6 effect the control for placing the knitting cams65 into and out of operation for effecting the circular knitting of hosearticle and the like. On the other hand, the thread guides 2 of FIGURE Iserve to place the thread of the particular system involved into and outof operation for effecting the knitting.

Referring to PEG RES 8, 8a, 8b, 9:1, 91) and 90, four for t e switchingof the contact rings 1, 1, I, and 1 are positioned in a knitting machinearrangcment. Contacts rings 1, 1 and 1" are operativcly connected forcontrolling the thread guide elements 2- and 2" respectively. Contactrings 1 and It are provided along their inner edges with a plurality ofcam guiding surfaces 11 and 11 respectively, which correspond to thenumber of thread guide elements 2 pcsitioned on the machine. Contactring 1 is provided with a plurality of transverse indentations orgrooves 11" along its top surface corresponding in number to the threadguide elements 2". Thread guide elements 2 and 2 are suitably positionedfor guiding cam contact with cam surfaces 11, ll and 11 respectivelyduring the limited rotational movement of contacts rings 1, 1 and 1".

While only a thread guide element 2 is shown on the upper right side ofFIG. 8, for clarity in viewing, it will be appreciated that actually athread guide element 2" is normally positioned adjacent thereto as morefully appears from FIGS. 81) and 95. As may be seen from FIGS. 8a and8b, the thread guides Z and 2" do not have the same shape. Thread guide2 is provided with an underside along the portion adjacent contact ring1" which is sufficiently spaced from the top of ring to avoid anycontact with upper cam surface 11 of said ring 3. On the other hand, theunderside of thread guide element 2" along the portion adjacent the topof contact ring 1" is not so spaced therefrom but actually is meant tocontact upper cam surface 11 for the desired actuation of thread guideelement 2." into and out of yarn feeding position. Inasmuch as threadguide element 2 is meant to be controlled by contact rings 1 and 1, thevertical side portion thereof is maintained closely adjacent the insidediameter surface of rings 1 and 1. In this manner, such vertical sideportion may be suitably actuated upon engagement with com surfaces 11and 11 of contact rings 1 and 1 respectively. Similarly, thread guideelement 2" is provided with a vertical side portion which is spaced fromthe adjacent inside diameter surfaces of rings I. and 1 so that cle ment2" will not be influenced by these contact rings but only by ring 1 asaforesaid.

Thread guide elements 2 and 2" are pivotally mounted on blocks 24positioned on thread guide carrier ring 25. Thread guide carrier ring25, in turn, is pivotally mounted at hinge 25 on a support 26' and issupported by a support member 29 rigidly connected to base 30. A latcharrangement, including stop 27 on carrier ring 25 and leaf spring 28attached to support member 29 maintains the assembly of thread guideelements and contact rings in releasable arrangement with respect to theknitting machine. Thus, ring 25 upon releasing stop 27 from leaf spring28 may be moved up and away from the top portion of the knitting machineallowing access to the various machine parts.

Thread guide elements 2 and 2 are connected by springs 33 to carrierring 25 so that these elements will be downwardly pivotally urged in thedirection of guiding cam engagement with cam guiding surfaces 11, 11 and11". Contact rings 1, 1 and 1" are secured against horizontaldisplacement out of their normal path of limited rotation by means ofpartition segments 32 connected by means of flange segments 32 tocarrier ring 25. At this portion of the machine dial Z2 is disposed,above which is situated cover plate 31. These elements areconcentrically situated with respect to the axis of shaft 22 within theconfines of ring 25 and segments 32'. The rotatable needle cylinder 21is disposed beneath dial 22 and sinker ring 23 is concentricallypositioned along the outer surface of cylinder 21. These elements areconventional as is the knitting machine with respect to which thecontact rings of the invention may be conveniently operated.

Thus, cylinder 21 is provided with a needle bed along its exteriorsurface containing a plurality of needles 63 slidably displaceable inaxial direction. Needles 6'31 are provided with suitable butts 64 whichare necessary for actuating the needles via earns 65 of slides 6 in thewell known manner.

A knitting cam ring 34 is provided on base Stl in such a manner that thesame surrounds a portion of the cylinder 21 below ring .23. Ring -34 isprovided with a flange element 62 upon which is s'lidably disposed camslide 6 carrying stud 61. A spring 33 interconnects ring 34 with stud 61so as to normally urge cam slide 6 radially inwardly toward cylinder Zi. Interposed between ring 34 and stud 61 is contact ring 1 which ismounted for slidable movement along the upper surface of flange 62.Knitting cam 65 is suitably disposed at the radially inward end of camslide 6 for guiding engagement with butt 64 of needles 63 to effect aknitting operation in the well known manner.

Accordingly, upon limited rotational movement of contact ring 1', stud 61 will be urged inwardly along cam guiding surface 11 permitting theinsertion of knitting cam 65 for operating a knitting system. Uponreverse movement of contact ring 1', stud 61 will move by contact withcam guiding surface 11 and thus withdraw knitting cam 65 from actuationof needles es.

The operation of contact ring 1 in this connection may be more clearlyseen from a study of FiGURE 9a. The linkage 3 causes the movement ofcontact ring 1 first in the direction of the arrow P and thereaftersuitably in the reverse direction. This is contemplated by the linkagemovement in the direction of the arrow P. It will be readily seen thatin accordance with the embodiment shown in FIGURE 9a, certain of thethread guide elements 2 are placed in operation since the same areplaced in contact with cam guiding surfaces 11 while others are situatedout of contact with cam guiding surfaces ill and instead are in contactwith the adjacent edge of contact ring 1. As soon as contact ring ii isfurther moved, the staggered phase relationship between the variousthread guide elements 2 is changed. Spring 33 normally urges threadguide elements 2 in downward direction to effect immediate actuation inresponse to the movement of contact ring 1.

FIGURE 9b shows in greater detail the arrangement of contact rings 1, land l. of FIGURE 8 positioned respectively one above the other with theadjacent parts of the machine conveniently omitted. Contact ring 1"controls the insertion of thread guide elements 2" for Working aparticular thread, while contact rings 1 and 1 control the insertion ofthread guide elements 2 for working another thread in multiple systemknitting operation. By a short rotational movement of contact ring 1,all of the thread guide elements 2 are simultaneously inserted orremoved in the knitting operation. This is carried out in theconventional manner by means of the linkage 3 which operates in the samemanner as has been heretofore described. Contact ring 1 is providedalong its inner edge with cam guiding surfaces 11 which perform the samefunction as cam guiding surfaces 11 and ll of contact rings 1 and 1'respectively. Contact ring 1 is rotated by linkage '3' while contactring 1" is rotated by linkage 3" to effect suitably the insertion ofthread guide elements 2 and 2 as aforesaid.

While the contact ring arrangement is such that by rotation of contactring 1, the thread guide elements 2 are simultaneously operated, contactring 1, on the other hand, is so constructed that the thread guideelements 2 are individually operated in accordance with the switchingphases S, in the same manner as aforesaid. However, the actuation ofthread guide elements 2" in this connection is carried out independentlyof the actuation of thread guide elements 2, which latter actuation iscaused by rotational movement of either contact ring 1 or contact ring1.

Thus, contact ring 1 is actuated by linkage 3 to operate thread guideelements 2 by means of cam guiding surfaces 11 in a predetermined phasestaggered manner while contact ring 1 may be actuated by linkage 3 tooperate thread guide elements 2 by means of earn guiding surfaces 11 ina simultaneous manner. Independently of this arrangement, contact ring 1may be actuated by linkage 3" to operate thread guide elements 2." bymeans of cam guiding surfaces 11 in a desired phase staggered manner. Itwill be appreciated that contact ring it" being the uppermost ring issuitably provided with cam guiding surfaces 11" along its top edgerather than along its inner edge as is the case with contact ring 1 andcontact ring 1, and rather than along its outer edge as is the case withcontact ring 1' which is employed to operate cam slides 6.

It will be appreciated by' the artisan that any conventional circularknitting machine may be used in accordance with the invention. Theoperation of such machine is well known and will not be discussed indetail herein. It will be appreciated in this connection that thecontact ring means in accordance with the invention may be employed toswitch various knitting elements into and out of operation such asthread guide elements and actuating knitting cams. The particularoperation of the contact ring control in accordance with the inventionmay be carried out in any desired manner depending upon the type ofknitting to be carried out, such that a plurality of individual knittingsystems may be conveniently con trolled to switch into and out ofknitting operation in phase-staggered manner as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises a contact ring mounted for limitedrotational movement, said ring having a plurality of phasestaggered camsurfaces defined thereon corresponding to the plurality of individualknitting systems of the knitting machine, rotational control means foreifecting periodic phase-staggered rotational movement of said contactring, and a corresponding plurality of individual integral cam meansmounted for constant and continuous direct guiding cam engagement withsaid contact ring and in turn said cam surfaces during the limitedrotational movement of said contact ring and thus direct displacementbetween active and inactive operative positions as a result of suchmovement, said individual integral cam means solely, immediately anddirectly controlling the operation of the corresponding individualknitting systems in response to such guiding cam engagement anddisplacement between said active and inactive operative positions.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said cam means are normallyresiliently urged in the direction of guiding cam engagement with saidring and in turn said cam surfaces.

3. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises a contact ring mounted for limitedrotational movement, said ring having a plurality of phase-staggered camsurfacesdefined thereon along the top edge thereof corresponding to theplurality of individual knitting systems of the knitting machine,rotational control means for effecting periodic phase-staggeredrotational movement of said contact ring, and a corresponding pluralityof cam means, including thread guide elements operatively connected forguiding the thread for the corresponding individual knitting systemsbetween active and inactive thread feeding positions, mounted for directguiding cam engagement with said contact ring and in turn said camsurfaces during the limited rotational movement of said contact ring andthus direct displacement as a result of such movement, said thread guideelements being pivotally mounted for such displacement in a planesubstantially radially passing through the axis of said contact ringbetween said active and inactive positions while being in constant andcontinuous contact with said ring in any position of movement thereofand normally resiliently urged into direct guiding cam engagement withsaid cam surfaces and thus being operatively positioned for suchdisplacement between said active and inactive positions solely,immediately and directly by guiding contact between such thread guideelements and said ring.

4. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises a contact ring mounted for l..ited rotational movement, said ring having a plurality ofphase-staggered cam surfaces defined thereon along the inside edgethereof corresponding to the plurality of individual knitting systems ofthe knitting machine, and a corresponding plurality of cam means,including thread guide elements operatively connected for guiding thethread for the corresponding individual knitting systems between activeand inactive thread feeding positions, mounted for guiding camengagement with said contact ring and in turn said cam surfaces duringthe limited rotational movement of said contact ring and thusdisplacement as a result of such movement, the corresponding threadguide elements being pivotally mounted in a plane substantially radiallypassing through the axis of said contact ring for such displacementbetween said active and inactive positions during guiding cam engagementwith said cam surfaces and being adapted to control the operation ofsaid individual knitting systems in response to s eh guiding camengagement.

5. Arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said thread guide elementsare normally spring-urged in the direction of guiding cam engagementwith said ring and in turn said cam surfaces.

6. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises a contact ring mounted for limitedrotational movement, said ring having a plurality of phase-staggered camsurfaces defined thereon along the outside edge thereof corresponding tothe plurality of individual knitting systems of the knitting machine,and a corresponding plurality of cam means, including cam slide meansoperatively connected for controlling knitting cams of the correspondingindividual knitting systems between active and inactive operativepositions, slidably mounted for displacement in a substantially radialdirection toward and away from said contact ring and correspondingly forguiding cam engagement with said contact ring and in turn said camsurfaces during the limited rotational movement of said contact ring, toeffect the switching into and out of active operation of thecorresponding knitting cams of the individual knitting systems upon suchmovement of said contact ring and in turn displacement of said camslides while in said earn engagement.

7. Arrangement according to claim 6 wherein said cam slide means arenormally springurged in the direction of guiding cam engagement withsaid cam surfaces.

8. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises at least two contact rings insuperimposed axial relationship mounted for individually controlledindependent limited rotational movement, each said ring having aplurality of phase-staggered cam surfaces defined thereon correspondingto the plurality of individual knitting systoms of the knitting machine,and a plurality of sets, each including at least two thread guideelements, corresponding to the plurality of said knitting systems, thethread guide elements of each said set being operatively connected forguiding the thread between active and inactive thread feeding positionsfor the corresponding individual knitting systems, at least one of theelements of each set being mounted for independent guiding camengagement with a corresponding phasc sla ered cam surface of one ofsaid contact rings at the knitting station of a corresponding knittingsystem during the limited rotational movement of said one of the contactrings, at least another one of the elements of each set being mountedfor independent guiding cam engagement with a correspondingphase-staggered cam surface of another of said contact rings at theknitting station of a corresponding knitting system during the limitedrotational movement of said another of the contact rings, said threadguide elements be ng operatively connected for guiding the thread forthe corresponding individual knitting systems, and adapted to controlthe operation of said individual knitting systems in response to suchguiding cam engagement.

9. Arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the corresponding threadguide elements at each knitting station are dimensioned for engaging thephase-staggered cam surface of the respective contact ring with whichthe particular element is used during the limited rotational movement ofsaid rings while avoiding engagement with any other contact ring.

10. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises three contact rings insuperimposed axial relationship mounted for individual controlledindependent limited rotational movement, the uppermost ring havin aplurality of phase-staggered cam surfaces defined thereon along the topedge thereof corresponding to the plurality of individual knittingsystems of the knitting machine, the middle ring having a plurality ofphasestaggcred cam surfaces defined thereon along the inside edgethereof corresponding to said plurality of individual knitting systemsof the knitting machine, the lowermost ring having a plurality ofphase-staggered cam surfaces defined thereon along the inside edgethereof corresponding to the said plurality of individual knittingsystems of the knitting machine, rotational control means for effectingindividual periodic phase-staggered rotational movement of each saidcontact ring independently of the movement of the other two rings, and aset of at least two individual integral thread guide elements at eachsaid knitting system operatively connected for guiding the thread forthe corresponding individual knitting systems between active andinactive thread feeding positions, one of said at least two thread guideelements of each set being pivotally mounted for displacement betweenactive and inactive thread feeding positions in a plane substantiallyradially passing through the axi of said rings and for guiding camengagement with said uppermost ring and in turn the corresponding camsurface on said uppermost ring during the limited rotational movement ofsaid uppermost ring so as to effect such displacement, another of saidat least two thread guide elements of each set eing pivotally mountedfor displacement between active and inactive thread feeding positions ina further plane substantially radially passing through the axis of saidrings and for guiding cam engagement with said middle ring and in turnthe corresponding cam surface on said aiddle ring during the limitedrotational movement of said middle ring so as to effect suchdisplacement as well as alternatively for guiding cam engagement withsaid lowermost ring and in turn the corresponding cam surface on saidlowermost ring during the limited rotational movement of said lowermostring so as to effect alternatively such displacement between saidpositions, said thread guide elements being adapted to control theoperation of the corresponding individual knitting systems in responseto such guiding cam engagement.

ll. A contact ring arrangement for use in a circular knitting machine tocontrol the operation of a plurality of individual knitting systems ofsaid knitting machine which comprises three contact rings insuperimposed axial relationship mounted for individual controlledindependent limited rotational movement, the uppermost ring having aplurality of phase-staggered cam surfaces defined thereon along the topedge thereof corresponding to the plurality of individual knittingsystems of the knitting machine, the middle ring having a plurality ofphasestaggered cam surfaces defined thereon along the inside edgethereof corresponding to said plurality of individual knitting systemsof the knitting machine, the lowermost ring having a plurality ofphase-staggered cam surfaces defined thereon along the inside edgethereof corresponding to the said plurality of individual knittingsystems of the knitting machine, rotational control means for effectingindividual periodic phase-staggered rotational movement of each saidcontact ring independently of the movement of the other two rings, theinside edge of said uppermost ring having at every point a radius atleast as large as the largest corresponding radius of the inside edge ofsaid middle ring and at least as large as the largest correspondingradius of the inside edge of said lowermost ring, and a set of at leasttwo individual integral angular thread guide elements at each saidknitting system operatively connected for guiding the thread for thecorresponding individual knitting systems between active and inactivethread feeding positions and having, when in active thread feedingposition, a vertical leg and a horizontal leg, one of said at least twothread guide elements of each set being pivotally mounted fordisplacement downwardly from inactive to active thread feeding positionand upwardly from active to inactive thread feeding position in a planesubstantially radially passing through the axis of said rings and forguiding cam engagement along the underside of the correspondinghorizontal leg only with the corresponding cam surface on said uppermostring during the limited rotational movement of said uppermost ring so asto effect such displacement directly as a result of such rotationalmovement, another of said at least two thread guide elements of each setbeing pivotally mounted vfor displacement downwardly from inactive toactive thread feeding position and upwardly from active to inactivethread feeding position in a further plane substantially radiallypassing through the axis of said rings adjacent the first-mentionedplane and for guiding cam engagement along the radially outer side ofthe corresponding vertical leg with the corresponding cam surface onsaid middle ring during the limited rotational movement of said middlering so as to elfect such displacement as well as alternatively forguiding cam engagement along said radially outer side of thecorresponding vertical leg with the corresponding cam surface on saidlowermost ring during the limited rotational movement of said lowermostring so as to effect a1ternati-vely such displacement, the radiallyouter side of the corresponding vertical leg of said one thread guideelement, when in active thread feeding position, being radially inwardlydisposed with respect to the inside edges of both said middle ring andlowermost ring to provide clearance between said one thread guideelement and said middle and lowermost rings in any position of movementof said one thread guide element and said middle and lowermost rings,and the underside of the corresponding horizontal leg of said anotherthread guide element, when in active thread feeding position, beingaxially upwardly disposed with respect to the top edge of said uppermostring to provide clearance between said another thread guide element andsaid uppermost ring in any position of movement of said another threadguide element and said uppermost ring, said thread guide elementssolely, immediately and directly controlling the operation of thecorresponding individual knitting systems in response to such guidingcam engagement, said thread guide elements being normally resilientlyurged in the direction of guiding cam engagement with the correspondingcam surfaces.

12. Arrangement according to claim 11 wherein a further contact ring isprovided which encloses concentrically the needle bed of the knittingcylinder of the machine at a level corresponding to the normalrotational path of at least a portion of the needle butts of the needlesin said needle bed, said further ring being mounted for limitedrotational movement and having a plurality of phase-staggered camsurfaces defined thereon along the outside edge thereof corresponding tothe plurality of individual knitting systems of the knitting machine,and a corresponding plurality of elongated cam slides for thecorresponding individual knitting systems, each said cam slide having aknitting cam fixedly disposed thereon at one end thereof and anupstanding stud fixedly disposed thereon adjacent the other end thereof,said cam slides being slidably mounted for displacement in asubstantially radial direction toward and away from said further contactring with the stud ends of said earn slides being radially outwardlylocated and correspondingly positioned for direct guiding cam engagementwith said cam surfaces during the limited rotational movement of saidfurther contact ring, to effect the switching into and out of operationwith said needle butts of the corresponding knitting cams, of theindividual knitting systems, at the radially inwardly located ends ofsaid cam slides, said cam slides being normally resiliently urged in thedirection of guiding cam engagement with said cam surfaces of saidfurther contact ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,971,581 Schuknecht Aug. 28, 1934 2,378,316 Minton June 12, 19452,948,131 Levin Aug. 9, 1960 3,048,990 Moyer Aug. 14, 1962 FOREIGNPATENTS 319,109 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1929

1. A CONTACT RING ARRANGEMENT FOR USE IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE TOCONTROL THE OPERATION OF A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL KNITTING SYSTEMS OFSAID KNITTING MACHINE WHICH COMPRISES A CONTACT RING MOUNTED FOR LIMITEDROTATIONAL MOVEMENT, SAID RING HAVING A PLURALITY OF PHASESTAGGERED CAMSURFACES DEFINED THEREON CORRESPONDING TO THE PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUALKNITTING SYSTEMS OF THE KNITTING MACHINE, ROTATIONAL CONTROL MEANS FOREFFECTING PERIODIC PHASE-STAGGERED ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACTRING, AND A CORRESPONDING PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL INTEGRAL CAM MEANSMOUNTED FOR CONSTANT AND CONTINUOUS DIRECT GUIDING CAM ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID CONTACT RING AND IN TURN SAID CAM SURFACES DURING THE LIMITEDROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CONTACT RING AND THUS DIRECT DISPLACEMENTBETWEEN ACTIVE AND INACTIVE OPERATIVE POSITIONS AS A RESULT OF SUCHMOVEMENT, SAID INDIVIDUAL INTEGRAL CAM MEANS SOLELY, IMMEDIATELY ANDDIRECTLY CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF THE CORRESPONDING INDIVIDUALKNITTING SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO SUCH GUIDING CAM ENGAGEMENT ANDDISPLACEMENT BETWEEN SAID ACTIVE AND INACTIVE OPERATIVE POSITIONS.